Back to Basics / Reader annotations 13. ... Qd7
18. ... Rf2
Again Kevin finds a target that he can immediately attack (and Fritz 11 awards him a 3.4 advantage). Black’s 13. ... Qd7 is okay, but I’d pre-
fer 13. ... f5, opening a file for Black’s rooks.
14. Qf1 Bd4
This retreat to d4 is admittedly weak because it allows the powerful bishop to be traded off. However, Kevin’s rationale was that if White traded it, then an endgame would be nearer with White having fewer pieces with which to counterattack. Good logic! Kevin—who was keenly aware that Bynum was using excessive time—quickly made his moves so that his opponent would not have much opportunity to think on his time. Making concessions—like trading off
your good bishop—could be the right deci- sion only if you have a large material advantage, usually at least a full piece. When you have a winning game, play the position, not the clock. Don’t try to out-blitz your time-short opponent!
15. Kh2 20. ... Raf8
Fritz 11 considers 20. ... Qg4 to be much stronger because it would win a piece by force even if White swapped the queens. However, Black’s move is certainly accept- able from a novice player as it shows that he recognizes the value of bringing all his pieces into play and keeping everything protected. I agree—but let Kevin appreciate Fritz’s wisdom, too. When, seeing a good move, Kevin starts looking for a better one, his rat- ing will “move upstairs” very quickly!
15. ... Bxc3
This is unnecessary but consistent with his plan of bringing about an endgame. 16. bxc3 f5
Trying to open up the position to get to White’s king. Here I concur.
17. Qf3 fxe4 18. Qxe4 (see diagram top of next column)
21. Kh1?? After 21. Be1 Bxg2 22. Rxg2 Rxg2+ 23.
Kxg2 Nd8 Black maintains a plus four point advantage. For a human—even a grandmaster—it’s
enough to see that 23. ... Qf5 wins quite easily.
21. ... Bxg2+ 22. Rxg2 Qh3+ (see diagram top of next column) 23. Kg1 Rf1 mate.
Very well played! 19. Re1?
Best was 19. Kg1, breaking the pin on the bishop and challenging the rook. Correct. Perhaps the simplest—but not
easy to accept—line for Black would have been 19. Kg1 Raf8 20. Be1 Rxg2+, sacrific- ing an Exchange for a pawn but achieving a winning position with two extra pawns, and a safer king.
19. ... Bxh3 20. Rg1
“According to plan,” quipped Kevin! Of course, White lost this game because
he followed his tenth-move inaccuracy (10. Kh1) and his opponent’s threatening 10. ... Ng4 with an outright blunder, 11. h3, giv- ing away an equivalent of three pawns. But his underrated (not for long, I guess) opponent deserves full credit for the aggres- sive, and correct, 10. ... Ng4, and for his quite strong (strong enough) play afterwards. And I find Leonard’s suggestions on how
to play against those under-1000 very much on target. In fact, any blunder-prone player can benefit from using his mental regimen!
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